What Just Happened?

by Anne

I checked the scores on NHL.com one minute and the score of the Caps/Canes game was 2-1 Canes moved on to do some other things, watch some CSI and then about 5 minutes later the game was over and the Caps had won 3-2.

Quoi?

Semin scored with just under 3 minutes left and then with 11 seconds left. Impressive. Now he's only 1 behind TV in goals. I don't like that.

Of the 11 games played last night, all but one home team won last night (Way to kill the trend, Colorado).

Drury scored a hat trick. Hoo. ray. He is the second coming, in case you weren't sure.

The bigger story from that game is the "incident" between Lightning goalie Mike Smith and Rangers' forward Aaron Voros. If you don't know, Mike Smith threw a hissy fit about Aaron Voros being in his crease, slashed him and hit him a few times, and eventually got called for the penalties, leading to a fight between the two. Ok, Mike Smith probably should've controlled himself a bit better, but he got caught for his boneheaded penalties and they were served. However, the REALLY ridiculous situation is that Rangers head coach Tom Renney is calling for Mike Smith's suspension because he feels his retaliation was unprovoked.

........................................................................?

So let me get this straight, coach Renney. Goaltenders attempting to clear the crease get irritated when a player's skate enters it. The players skate repeatedly enters the crease, so an overly excessive retaliation happens, a goalie and a skater fight and the goalie gets minor penalties for his trouble. Therefore, the goaltender is a criminal miscreant and must be suspended.

Let's toss this (hypothetical) scenario out there, Coach: A Lightning checks a Ranger a little too hard along the boards, a Ranger tough guy jumps into the fracas to defend his teammate, and that's a legitimate hockey situation. Yes, it is. Should either the Lightning who delivered the hit or the Ranger who dropped the gloves be suspended? No, of course not. No one would suggest that. We're operating under the assumption that the Lightning player was not attempting to seriously harm the Ranger. How is this any different? Are there special rules for goaltenders in Coach Renney's world? Goaltenders are punished differently for overreacting? I don't think Mike Smith's intention was to permanently cripple Aaron Voros, just to get him to stay out of his crease. Mike Smith is trying to send the message that you don't mess around in his crease or he'll say something about it.

Let's just try to envision Lindy Ruff saying something like that if the situation were different and it were Paul Gaustad parked in front of Mike Smith's net.... go ahead... try to envision it happening... I'll wait....

Yeah, didn't think so.

Ridiculous. Maybe that stick to the head did more extensive damage than previously thought.

Whatever. Thrashers at HSBC Arena tonight, 7:30. I'll be there, and so will at least one of these guys:

YOYOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!